CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One For Dummies, 4th Edition

All the knowledge you need to pass the new A+ exam

A+ is the gateway certification into many IT careers and can be essential in order to start your occupation off on the right foot in the exciting and rapidly expanding field of information technology. Luckily, the 9 minibooks in CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One For Dummies make it easier to prepare for this all-important exam so you can pass with flying colors! It quickly and easily gets you up to speed on everything from networking and computer repair to troubleshooting, security, permissions, customer service—and everything in between.

The CompTIA A+ test is a rigorous exam, but the experts who wrote this book know exactly what you need to understand in order to help you reach your certification goal. Fully updated for the latest revision of the exam, this comprehensive guide covers the domains of the exam in detail, reflecting the enhanced emphasis on hardware and new Windows content, as well as the nuts and bolts, like operating system basics, recovering systems, securing systems, and more.

• Find new content on Windows 8, Mac OS X, Linux, and mobile devices
• Get test-taking advice for the big day
• Prepare for the A+ exam with a review of the types of questions you’ll see on the actual test
• Use the online test bank to gauge your knowledge—and find out where you need more study help

With the help of this friendly, hands-on guide, you’ll learn everything necessary to pass the test, and more importantly, to succeed in your job!

Table of Contents

Book 1 Setting the A+ Groundwork
Chapter 1 The 2015 A+ Exams
Chapter 2 A+ Soft Skills
Chapter 3 Protecting Yourself and Your PC
Chapter 4 An Overview of System Components

Book 2 Inside the Box
Chapter 1 Knowing Your Motherboard
Chapter 2 Picking Your Processor
Chapter 3 What to Remember about Memory
Chapter 4 Telling Your BIOS from Your CMOS
Chapter 5 Managing Storage Technology
Chapter 6 Working with Power

Book 3 Outside the Box
Chapter 1 Describing Ports, Cables, and Connectors
Chapter 2 Installing and Configuring Input Devices
Chapter 3 Installing and Configuring Output Devices
Chapter 4 Managing Printers
Chapter 5 Working with Multimedia Devices
Chapter 6 Dealing with Laptops and Mobile Devices

Book 4 Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Chapter 1 Performing Preventive Maintenance
Chapter 2 Troubleshooting Procedures and Guidelines

Book 5 Operating System Basics
Chapter 1 Comparison of Major Operating Systems
Chapter 2 Windows Operating System Functions
Chapter 3 Installing and Upgrading Windows
Chapter 4 Managing Files and Directories
Chapter 5 Command Prompt Procedures
Chapter 6 Working with System Files and the Boot Process

Book 6 Managing the Operating System
Chapter 1 Loading and Configuring Device Drivers
Chapter 2 Working with Applications
Chapter 3 Optimizing the Windows Environment
Chapter 4 Using Windows-Based Troubleshooting Utilities

Book 7 Recovering Systems
Chapter 1 Managing Error Codes and Startup Messages
Chapter 2 Managing Common Problems
Chapter 3 Preparing for Disasters with Disaster Recovery

Part 8 Networking
Chapter 1 Down to the Networking Basics
Chapter 2 Understanding Common Wireless Communications
Chapter 3 Networking the Operating System
Chapter 4 Configuring Internet Access

Book 9 Securing Systems
Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Security
Chapter 2 Implementing Security
Chapter 3 Viruses and Malicious Software

Appendix CompTIA A+ Exam Reference Matrix